Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kappa
August, 2024
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:30 Bashamichi Station, meet at Tully Coffee (actually 9:40)
- 9:40-10:20 Travel to Shibuya
- 10:20-11:00. Visit Shibuya Scramble Square, Hachiko, and Pokemon Center
- 11:00-12:30. Travel to Harajuku, then visit Meiji Shrine
- 13:00-13:45 Lunch
- 13:45-14:30 Travel to Akihabara
- 14:30-15:40. From Akihabara main street, take the subway to Asakusa, visit Senso-ji Temple, and disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 9:30 at Bashamichi Station, meet at Tully Coffee (actually 9:40) and ended at 14:30. The day ran to 5 hours from start to finish. It included lunch at 13:00.
Over the course of the day the route took in Travel to Shibuya at 9:40, Shibuya Scramble Square, Hachiko, and Pokemon Center at 10:20, Travel to Harajuku, then visit Meiji Shrine at 11:00 and Travel to Akihabara at 13:45.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Jiyugaoka (boarding at Bashamichi, but treated as boarding within the Tokyo area of the Tokyu Line) to Shibuya by train (180JPY); Shibuya to Harajuku by train (146JPY); Harajuku to Akihabara by train (178JPY); Suehirocho to Asakusa by train (178JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 682JPY per person.
What's a Private Yokohama and Tokyo Tour Like for Cruise Passengers? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests arrived from North America. Since their cruise port was in Yokohama, we arranged to meet in Yokohama on the day of the tour. Despite contacting them several times, my emails did not reach them smoothly, and as the guests had not registered a messaging app, I had a difficult time getting in touch with them up until the night before. [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) was very helpful throughout this process. After we met, the tour got off to a smooth start. Although the guests mentioned that they were used to the heat back home, it turned out to be very hot, and there was also a dedication event at Meiji Shrine, making it as crowded as the New Year period, so some of the guests seemed a bit tired. Since it was primarily a Tokyo tour, I felt that in such cases it would be better to arrange the meeting point somewhere in Tokyo instead.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Jiyugaoka (boarding at Bashamichi, but treated as boarding within the Tokyo area of the Tokyu Line)～Shibuya | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Shibuya～Harajuku | 146JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Harajuku～Akihabara | 178JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Suehirocho～Asakusa | 178JPY |
| Total | 682JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Bashamichi Station, meet at Tully Coffee (actually 9:40) at 9:30, and the tour finished at From Akihabara main street, take the subway to Asakusa, visit Senso-ji Temple, at 14:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours in total, from 9:30 to 14:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Travel to Shibuya, Shibuya Scramble Square, Hachiko, and Pokemon Center, Travel to Harajuku, then visit Meiji Shrine and Travel to Akihabara.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 682JPY per person across 4 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Kappa is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
Customized Hakone tour
Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour…
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
Customized Hakone tour
Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
May 18, 2025
Leigh_M
Kappa, our guide met us…
Viator review: Kamakura 4hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa, our guide met us at the…
May 18, 2025
Leigh_M
Kappa, our guide met us…
Viator review: Kamakura 4hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
May 4, 2025
panderhigs
Kappa A+ Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough…
May 4, 2025
panderhigs
Kappa A+ Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated…
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo